Thursday, July 28, 2016

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! Genesis 45:4

Life is full of resentment and wounds when people hurt us
instead of being a blessing to us. How we heal is more up to us than the
ones who have wounded us. We have to learn how to recover from our
resentment with God's help. Resentment is like cancer where it starts
out small and needs to be released and removed immediately. If not, it will
eat away at us and eventually destroy us.

Resentment
focuses on the past. It replays the past over and over. It won't change
the past but if not dealt with it can certainly have long lasting
negative affects on our future. A happy, healthy life cannot be lived
holding on to the past and certainly not holding on to our resentment.

Joseph
had every right to be resentful of his brothers when they sold him into
slavery but he recognized God's presence in his life even when things
went so terribly wrong. In spite of all that was happening to him for so
many years he trusted that God loved him and would be there for him.
After many years, God blessed him and reconciled him to his family. It is impossible to have love and forgiveness where there is resentment.

“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. Genesis 45:8

Friday, July 8, 2016

If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.Psalm 139:9-10

When God pushes you to the edge of difficulty,

Trust Him fully,

Because two things can happen:

Either He'll catch you when you fall,

or He will teach you how to fly!

~Author Unknown

Sometimes the Lord calms the storm. Sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms us instead. Fear grips our hearts and minds when we least expect it. It can overcome us, paralyze us and depress us. Thank God for Jesus!

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12What is the difference in happiness and joy? ~ Happiness comes when circumstances are good and joy can come in good and difficult circumstances. It is God who gives us joy even in the midst of something difficult. How often have I heard someone say, "I just want to be happy!" They begin to pursue what they believe will make them happy but most of the time pleasure seeking in the wrong places. Some pursue sports, hobbies, traveling, dancing, shopping,
home improvements, wealth, status, alcohol, food and drugs. These will
fail except for a brief moment!

We cannot find true joy just by seeking
pleasurable excitement. The best and longest sustained joys come from pursuing things God's way and His working in our life.

Jesus slept in the boat during a terrible storm.

We need to learn
how to sleep in the storms too.

God wants us to let Him take control during our storms of life!

This picture I took of my sons youngest daughter at a festival November 2012 as she watched her sister and cousins riding the swings.